Graduation Statistics - Notes

Notes

The graduation rate is one of the critical pieces of performance information for parents, principals, superintendents, community members, and all tax payers.

Starting in 2009-2010, the method Colorado uses to calculate the graduation rate changed. Previous to 2009-10, early and late graduates were counted with the current graduating class. In the new rate, a student is assigned a graduating class that does not change. Rather than being counted in the four-year “on-time” graduation rates, early and late graduates are reflected in 3-year, 5-year, 6-year, and 7-year graduation rates based on their previously assigned anticipated year of graduation.

Thus, the major change involves a shift to a four-year “on-time” graduation rate. The shift to the new fourth-year “on-time” graduation rate was made in order to comply with The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Under this act, the state of Colorado must move to an accountability system that measures and reports the “on-time” graduation rate. The formula and methodology is based on the National Governors Association (NGA) “Graduation Counts Compact.”